Farrell’s no-hitter leads Mill Run past Mitch’s Bail Bonds, 3-0
CHARLEROI — Trevor Farrell pitched a no-hitter to lead Mill Run to a 3-0 victory over Mitch’s Bail Bonds in Game 1 of the Fayette County Baseball League semifinals at Charleroi’s Veterans Memorial Field.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series was scheduled for Wednesday night at Mill Run Park.
Farrell didn’t allow a run or hit in seven inning of work with three strikeouts. He walked four batters, had two hits batsman and the Millers committed an error in the second inning.
“Trevor (Farrell) had a spectacular performance,” Mill Run manager Ray Orndorff said. “It was nice to see a strong offensive and defensive performance in Game 1.”
Farrell didn’t have a great deal of strikeouts, but he forced the home team into nine ground-ball outs, seven fly-ball outs and two pop ups.
“I didn’t know anything about the no-hitter until the fifth or sixth inning because one of the guys on the other team said, ‘Hey, we got to break it up,'” Farrell said. “There were at least four or five balls that could have been hits and we played good defense all around. I am hoping we can win one of the next two and move into the championship series so I can get another chance to pitch.”
Farrell’s mound opponent, Brian Fisher, had a quality outing but allowed five hits and three runs in the second to take the loss. Fisher allowed three earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. He had three strikeouts and walked two.
“I thought Brian (Fisher) pitched well and matched (Trevor) Farrell,” Mitch’s Bail Bonds manager Ryan Encapera said. “They had that one big inning and Dakota (McWilliams) had a big hit.”
Mill Run (12-9) scored all three of its runs on five hits in the second inning.
Kris Firestone singled to lead off the frame but the Mermen turned a 6-4-3 double play.
The Millers’ Corey Fogle doubled to left field and scored the game-winning run on Nolan Porterfield’s single to left field for a 1-0 advantage. Fogle added a doubled in the fourth and drew a walk in the seventh.
Dakota McWilliams followed Porterfield’s at-bat with a two-run home run to right field for a 3-0 lead. Porterfield added a base hit in the seventh.
“Dakota (McWilliams) has been hitting the ball really well for us lately,” Orndorff said. “We executed a few things in the second inning and Dakota’s hit was huge. We have had some struggles hitting the ball this season but had a nice day at the plate today.”
Tanner Orndorff followed with a single to right field but KC Zajicek stole an extra-base hit from Alan Van Sickle with a highlight-reel catch in left field for the third out of the frame.
The Mermen (15-5-1) had runners on first and second with nobody out in the second when Matt Tarabek reached via error and Jason Greene walked, but Farrell got two batters to flyout and a strikeout to end the threat.
Mitch’s Bail Bonds had runners on first and third in the fourth when Tarabek was hit by a pitch, and Greene walked before being thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice off a ball hit by Jack Oberdorf. Farrell got the next batter to ground out to second base to get out of the jam.
The Mermen had a runner in scoring position in the fifth when Cade Patterson walked and Adam Jacko was hit by a pitch but Farrell induced a flyout to center field to end the frame with his 3-0 lead intact.
“I was hoping (Trevor) Farrell would tire out a little but he dug deep and pitched well today,” Encapera said. “He really didn’t give up anything today other than a couple of walks.”
Garrett Brooks had two doubles for Mill Run.
Despite the loss, Encapera headed into Wednesday night’s game optimistic about the series.
“From what I’ve learned about the Fayette County Baseball League playoffs, the first game is very important because it puts you in a position where you can kind of do what you want to do, but at the same time, just because you win that game doesn’t mean you win the series, and just because you lose that game doesn’t mean you lose the series,” Encapera said. “We will battle till the last out and put our best lineup out there and see what happens.”